Time out
by Mescerises
Summary: Hermione couldn't figure out how she'd ended up on a reclining lawn chair in the backyard of the Burrow, cucumber on her eyes and a fresh layer of paint on her fingers and toes. Logistically, of course, she knew she'd stomped through the fireplace as her taunting but loving husband laughed at her but as she tried to trace through her thought process, she drew a blank. One shot.
Authors note: This was written for irishiris as a small thank you for the support she and many others have shown since I rejoined the fanfic community by reaching out and befriending me on tumblr. Her pairing was of course Hermione and Remus and she had asked for something silly/sweet, with a date or a bet involved. This was first posted to tumblr, where it got the thumbs up, so here it is now for everyone else :)

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Hermione couldn't figure out how she'd ended up on a reclining lawn chair in the backyard of the Burrow, cucumbers on her eyes and a fresh layer of paint on her fingers and toes. Logistically, of course, she knew she'd stomped through the fireplace as her taunting but loving husband laughed at her but as she tried to trace through the decision making process, she drew a blank.

Ginny had owled her the day before asking if she would like to join her and the girls for an impromptu girls' day, to celebrate everyone having the same Saturday off for the first time in months. Hermione, who very much loved her girlfriends, was not one to get excited for girls' days. Her doting husband saw the letter sitting abandoned on the counter the next morning and laughed, declaring that Hermione was incapable of relaxing for a few hours, and from there Hermione was struggling to trace her logical progression from huffing indignantly at the comment to ending up in her current predicament.

Granted, Remus was right: since Hermione had filed for and been approved for her maternity leave, she had been working almost double time preparing for whoever was to cover for her while she was out. She had started winding down her case load, already almost twice that of the average Ministry solicitor, and applied for stays on pieces of legislation she was personally representing through the legislative process.

It wouldn't matter who they assigned to cover for Hermione, she would leave everything in fail safe, idiot proof condition, as years of friendship with Ron and Harry had prepared her for.

So sure, Remus may have been justified in his mockery that morning, but it still ruffled Hermione's feathers and while she knew that now, she couldn't believe she had _fallen_ for it then.

"I'm surprised you're still out here," Angelina said, taking a seat at Hermione's feet. The older witch was newly pregnant with her second child now and often joined Remus and her husband, George, in mocking Hermione's resolve to work the work of three witches before she popped. Still, Hermione removed the cucumbers from her face and smiled to the woman who had become one of Hermione's closest confidantes during her pregnancy.

"I'm not entirely sure why I did to be honest and I've been trying to come up with an excuse to leave early but based on the looks Ginny is giving me, I have a feeling none of them will hold up," she joked, peeking over to the set of blankets only a few feet away where Ginny and Cho Chang were both laid out, blissfully babyless, tanning.

"I imagine Remus had something to do with getting you out of the house for a day in the sun," Angelina responded, her tone misleadingly light and her eyes belying mischief. Hermione perked up and glared at the witch, silently demanding she spill whatever secrets she was privy too, but before Hermione could begin a proper interrogation, Ginny chimed in.

"Actually, Remus was the one who suggested I try and drag this witch away from her desk for a few hours of peace and relaxation," she confessed, rolling over to her stomach and lifting up the magazine she had been reading before sunbathing on her back and soaking in the sunlight.

"That dirty wolf, he's up to something," Hermione murmured, awkwardly pushing herself up to her feet and waddling towards the Burrow on the balls of her feet, weary of her possibly still wet toes. Once inside, she transfigured the reasonable flats she had come in to an equally comfortable pair of sandals and slipped them on. Angelina followed her in, amused, and watched as the younger witch grumbled and packed her bag up.

"So, what? You're going to floo home and see what nefarious thing your doting husband has gotten up to?" Angelina asked, taking the opportunity to top up her drink while Hermione fumbled with the straps on her bag.

"I hardly see the fault in peeking over," Hermione responded, fooling no one. Angelina nodded and waved her hand, silent saying _by all means,_ and so Hermione took a handful of green powder and threw it into the grate.

Apparation was absolutely discouraged for pregnant women and almost suicidal after three months, a milestone Hermione had passed several moons prior. Besides, the fireplace in the foyer of their home was as good as any vantage point to catch Remus in whatever evil thing he was doing as Apparation and made considerably less noise, which helped when sneaking in.

She was disappointed that there was no one in sight when she arrived. Frowning, she scanned the room and craned here neck to see into the kitchen but nothing was amiss. Huffing, she looked down to the small table where keys and family notes went and found a simple piece of paper waiting for her. Slightly put out, Hermione picked it up.

 _Knew you couldn't do it. Out with Sirius, be home sometime_ _ **after**_ _you.  
R~_

Crumpling the offensive piece of paper up, Hermione threw a new batch of floo powder into the fireplace and returned to the Burrow.

"Well, that was quick," Angelina noted, sitting at the Burrow table with a smile akin to the Cheshire cats. Hermione grumbled and removed her shoes and bag unceremoniously onto the floor as Angelina broke out into a fresh peel of laughter.

"Come along, let's get you back on that lawn chair with a good book, yeah?"

Hermione sighed and nodded, resigned to a day of unproductive but probably much needed rest. When Hermione went through the floo to her home again, the sun was beginning to fall and it was just past dinner. She hoped that wherever Sirius and Remus had gone that the two had eaten because she was far beyond cooking in her current relaxed state.

"Hello my gorgeous wife," Remus greeted her, wrapping his arms around her as she stumbled into the room. She smiled up to him from his arms and shifted so that her tote bag would slide down and off her shoulder to the ground, Remus lightly kicking it out of the way to properly wrap his wife in closely.

"Hello scoundrel. I found your note," Hermione admitted, smirking lightly as her husband laughed and snuggled his nose into her hair.

"I'm glad it seemed to send you back to where you ought to have been, you needed a day to just relax."

Hermione didn't want to give him the satisfaction of being right but she couldn't find it in her to disagree with him either, so she let the topic drop, asking instead how his afternoon out with Sirius was.

"Quite productive, actually," Remus said, unraveling his arms from Hermione. He took one of her hands and lightly tugged, pulling her from the main entry up the stairs and to the third bedroom of their beautiful townhouse. Hermione didn't know where he was taking her at first but once he stopped outside that door, her breathing hitched. Remus turned the knob and pushed lightly, revealing a small nursery.

The smell of fresh paint lingered, the walls now a soft green with white trim, drawings of trees and animals painted all around. A dark brown crib was centre against the far wall, flanked by a matching changing table and the softest looking white cushioned rocker. Hermione stepped in, taking in the sight of her baby girls' nursery and cried silent tears.

Remus watched from the doorway, smiling that smile Hermione stayed up late into the night memorizing as they dreamt together of all the things their daughter could be. Now, Hermione could see exactly where her baby girl would sleep her first night at home, the chair where she would read bedtime stories, and had no words to express her gratitude.

"I know this wasn't on your meticulous to-do list for another two weeks, so I thought it would be a lovely little surprise for you," Remus whispered from behind, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly to him.

"Remus, it's wonderful," she whispered, not trusting her voice any more that than. They stood there together like that for several more minutes.


End file.
